“The game is indeed set in the Kelvin universe,” Johnson says. “It starts just before Star Trek Beyond. Our story will encompass the events of Beyond, and then we'll go... beyond Beyond.”

Johnson is a prolific Star Trek comic book writer who already continued the story of the Kelvin timeline crew in the pages of Star Trek Boldly Go. That series was canceled after 18 issues, having always been intended to bridge the gap between Star Trek Beyond and its sequel. Fleet Command likely provides Johnson the opportunity to continue playing in that sandbox without focusing specifically on Kirk and company.

Johnson also wrote the Kelvin timeline comic book series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which introduced some new Starfleet cadets. Johnson teases that their stories may continue in Fleet Command.

“Pending their final exam grades, you won't be missing them for much longer,” he says.

In Star Trek Fleet Command, players can fight for the Federation, the Klingon Empire, or the Romulan Star Empire. The trailer for Fleet Command included a Romulan D'deridex-class warbird. In the Prime timeline, these ships weren’t introduced until the late 24th century. Johnson explains how the events of the three Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies have led to these ships debuting in this timeline’s 23rd century, and teases that the D’deridex won’t be the only classic Star Trek ships getting a Kelvin timeline makeover in Fleet Command.

“In the Kelvin timeline, after the destruction of Vulcan and with tensions rising, the Romulans accelerated their R & D,” Johnson explains. “We will see Kelvin versions of many Prime timeline ships we haven't seen in the films. Is there a favorite ship you'd like to see?”

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